sharing details of projects, hobbies and adventures

Favorite Experiences Shared

As expectant parents, Garrett and I quickly realized part of the fun of having a child would be enjoying all our favorite things anew with a fresh personality devoid of experience. We already have so much fun sharing experiences with Cassie, age 12. For instance, we took her to her first big concert (Taylor Swift) and her first 3D movie (a Star Wars film), watched all the Harry Potter movies, and this past December we listened to the audiobook Ella Enchanted, my favorite book when I was her age, and watched Aladdin, Cassie’s first time seeing what was for me an integral part of my childhood (and, let’s be honest, my teenage years, too). Best of all, last week we finally got to kayak with our favorite little sidekick.

I wish I had a picture of us kayaking Lake Norfork together, but I had forgotten my drybox so I left my phone in the car. Cassie kept insisting her “noodle arms” weren’t up to the task of paddling, yet she kept up with me. At one point I looked over and she was bopping her head, scooting along in the water next to me with a huge grin on her face. We saw deer on the shore and chased a duck that turned out to be a crane, and we divided and conquered the assortment of snacks (potato chips, Sour Patch Kids and clementines) with our kayaks linked up like a pontoon boat. It was a short trip but fun and memorable, a good start to the season.

One day Nenive will join us in the kayaks and we will once again experience the joy of sharing one of our favorite Arkansas pastimes with a child. I can’t wait to share so many other first experiences with her.

Stating for the record that I typed this cuddled up in bed with a baby sleeping on my chest and a cat sleeping on an arm. It is very difficult to type like this, but that has been my struggle (one of them, anyway) the past two months. I tried to move and Kitty Diggins gave me this awful Look.